David Goldstein CBS2 Reporting -- Is your child's teacher fully certified? An investigative report by CBS 2's David Goldstein uncovered hundreds of LAUSD teachers who have failed to obtain a certification required by law.
Apr 20, 2010 11:09 am US/Pacific -LOS ANGELES (CBS) - "It makes me feel angry it makes me frustrated. It just doesn't seem fair," said an LAUSD teacher who didn't want to be indentified.
She is angry that some co-workers are being allowed to continue teaching without a proper certification.
"I don't understand that. If we're told we need a certain credential to continue teaching the English learners in our classrooms. That's something that we have to do."
But we found hundreds of LAUSD teachers continuing to teach after failing to obtain the certificate. You can find out if your son or daughter's teacher -- no matter what school district you're in -- is on the list by visiting the Commission on Teacher Credentialing's Web site.
The certificate is called a CLAD permit. It stands for Crosscultural Language and Academic Development. Needed to teach English learners, students who aren't fluent in English. It has been a state law for nearly ten years! Although it is not illegal for teachers to teach without it, all LAUSD teachers have to have it. But it is not easy to get.
Teacher: "What it involved was taking four courses at a university and I got my certificate."
David Goldstein: "How long did it take you?"
Teacher: "Almost a year."
Last August the school board gave teachers a deadline -- March 1, 2010.
We obtained warning letters, sent as many as six times since last September, to teachers who haven't earned the certificate. The letters notified them of the deadline, in effect giving them homework that had to be done.
More than 32,000 teachers met the deadline. But like some of their students who don't do their homework, 795 teachers didn't get their certificate.
On March 12, the district's human resources officer notified the board in a memo that they would begin the process to fire those teachers. But all are still in the classrooms.
David Goldstein: "How many chances do they get?"
"It varies, but I think it's safe to say they have had opportunities to complete the work in a timely manner."
David Goldstein: "And they haven't done it?"
"They haven't."
The district is now giving teachers until the end of the school year to get the certificate, promising parents it's the final deadline.
"I would make a commitment to them to them that we are making every effort and this is a serious issue. This law has been in effect for many years, but we will no longer accept exceptions. no matter what."
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